I know you aren't talking about premies coming back.  What I was referring to was that dead zone period that lasted from when the ashrams closed, a period in which Rawat supposedly wanted to, or considered, quitting, until the late 80s, when some of the premies who had orbited away, got involved again, so that propagation was even possible.

So, I guess in that 80s-90s period we are still talking hundreds and not thousands, right?  I guess it's all relative..

I think one of the key issues is how difficult or easy it was to "get knowledge"  at an;y given time.  In the early 70s, people received knowledge fairly easily and thousands did, and there were lots of Mahatmas, etc.  Goingo satsang  a couple of weeks, or even just a day, and  that was enough.  When I received knowledge in 1973, one-month of satsang was suggested.

Then, in the late 70s, during the "devotion and surrender" period, it became very, very difficult to receive knowledge, and those who did pretty much had to dedicate their lives before they could even get it, so very few people did.

What was the criteria to receive knowledge until the mid-90s?

One of the differences, I think, was (and I was surprised to hear this in 1997), was that people started to get knowledge through a video, and then a DVD.  That isn't very attractive and tends to turn off the people who are looking for something spiritual, from a teacher.  And that is what has happened since, from what I understand, now under "the keys" program.

I also believe that one of the things that happened in the late 90s was EPO, and a climate ind which the negatives about Maharaji and knowledge, and just recognition that there are a bunch of former followers who are not interested in continuing to follow Rawat, and have strong criticisms of him.  Also, his past started to get exposed, via the internet.  All that is very powerful, and something that hadn't occurred before.